Is wireless charging all it's cracked up to be?

#1

Recently I was showing my partner my new powerwave stand that I’m using to change my Galaxy S9+. She was not impressed at all. She pointed out that the charging, while technically wireless, still required the stand to be plugged in, and that the wireless charging actually restricted how much the phone could be moved while charging.

I told her it was easier than plugging the phone in, you just set the phone down and it starts charging. At that point she made a show of having a hard time plugging in her phone (playfully mocking my statement that plugging was difficult or time consuming). After she “finally” got it plugged in, she then sat down and kept using her phone while mine was stationary on the table, in its charging stand. She then asked me if I could send her a text or check FB real quick. Then I picked up my phone and she pointed out that ti was no longer charging. :confused:

Anyway, her point I think is a good one - is wireless charging really any more convenient than a cord? Especially when you have a long cord that allows you to sit and easily use the phone. Keep in mind, she has a long Anker cable to use exactly for this purpose :laughing:

So what do you think? Is wireless really all its cracked up to be?

5 Likes
#2

I’m always charging up using my Anker lightning cable as it’s more convenient for me.
And to be fair I’d probably miss keep tripping up over it! :joy:

1 Like
#3

its best used at night for overnight charging, or while sitting idle at a desk. Thats my take.
But my buddy has a phone with a magnetic back plate for accessories (moto z i think) that you can just stick a battery pack on it while using. pretty neat imho

1 Like
#4

Wireless charging is more convenient than plugged charging mainly when you do not need to use your phone immediately. While sleeping, when grabbing a quick charge during another activity, and even in the car are all places where the benefits are felt the most. For those that cannot let go of the phone while it gets some boost, plugged charging is more ideal. The biggest benefit is really mechanical connections; the less you plug in cables, the longer your port lasts. This also leads to less cables being damaged from repeated use. Think of a desktop pc vs a laptop, the desktop always seems to last longer because you arent always plugging and unplugging it, nor do you have to worry about built in keyboards and batteries and things suffering death by wear and tear. There are really benefits for both, but if you do not need it at that moment wireless is king. Ask your friend to plug and unplug their phone 1000 times and see if they are happy about the fact it becomes unreliable while you can put your phone on and off the wireless charger and everything is just fine. :grin:

2 Likes
#5

It’s absolutely more convenient than fumbling around with the cable to insert into the phone… and get it to stay connected! My C connector in the phone has become so worn that any cable (even brand new) is loose enough to disconnect extremely easily. Sure, there are those cable clip things to attach against the bottom of the phone, but if I’m at my desk or doing other things (not fiddling around on my device), it’s so nice to just set my phone down and have it charge.
For me, something else is afoot with my device such that even if I was able to keep a cable connected (even the factory one supplied with the phone), it no longer did fast charging and would take forever. The 15W Anker charging pad I have gets it done faster - even though my device only supports up to 10kW (supposedly). Can’t wait to upgrade and realize the full potential of the 15kW chargeability!

1 Like
#6

I think both of you miss the point of wireless charging. If you have s wireless charger sitting on a table by your couch, than all you have to do is plop it on the table and it’s charging. Than you can easily pick it up and use it, but while your not holding it it’s charging. You can place them all over the house, in the bathroom, on the counter, by the couch etc. I should also mention it’s very bad to use a standard cord will using your phone as it will destroy it very quickly. Even an anker cord can break from using it while charging.

#7

You may have found your cord broke because you used the cord while using your phone?

#8

I use a cable personally if I know I am going to be using my phone but if I want to not use it and stupid have it charge its way easier to place my phone down on the charger right next to my keys and wallet on my night stand and not go looking for a cable so anything.

#9

I have a moto z2 force edition and it an incipio battery pack for it. It is pretty cool.

1 Like
#10

I agree with most of what’s been posted here. I’m still wireless charging (one in the home office, one in the bedroom, one in the work office) and I just pick it up and put it down whenever I am near one. I haven’t found a need to plug it in or really worried about the battery level of my phone since I’ve had it.

Also, I haven’t used my fusion 5000 much since moving to wireless, since I always seem to be charged because every time I set my phone down it’s charging.

I think the verdict is that it is worth it, even if my partner mocks me :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

#11

Like some people are saying, I use mine for overnight charging. Or if I’m watching a good movie I’ll sit it on it. However if I’m texting or replying to a message, I’ll switch over to wired charging

#12

Yes it is convenient at regular places you put your phone down, like office desk, bedside. Particularly when you have a computer you use for looking at things on a bigger screen and the phone is only used to speak. You can get by for days without plugging in.

Would I pay for fortune for it? No. Would I pay a lot more for a phone with it? No.

4 Likes
#13

I think this is the real game changer. You have a place where you set your laptop down to work on it, then when you pick it up it’s all charged.

Is there such a thing as a wireless charging laptop yet?

Edit: Duh I have google:

Looks like Dell has one…

#14

Perhaps I mis-expressed. I mean there is a laptop like at a office desk you have it plugged in, you are interacting with the world just via laptop and the phone is… doing nothing… so you put it on a wireless charger you keep at office. You would pick up the phone off wireless when leaving your desk or the phone rings. Then wireless makes a lot of sense. I did that when I had a Nexus 5.

I have a different issue with laptops they need just monster big batteries and powerful cabled chargers to last a long time and make good use of limited time near a plug.

#15

If you want to get back at her, replace her cord with one that has a short in it / not functional. Set your phone on the wireless charger and drop the mic.

The non direct plug in also heats up the phone where as the wireless charging does not. Yes they both are easy and all, but charging pads are best for overnight charging as well as at your desk at work when you’re not using your phone. Another tid bit, after a few years the charging port on most phones do wear out and need replaced (new phone upgrade time). If you use the wireless charging, it eliminates that issue.

#16

That is true but the USB type-c port is much more durable than the previous micro USB port and micro USB type B ports.

#17

I think there is a time and a place for it. I’ve seen some videos of people on Youtube that created custom desks with larger wifi chargers just under the surface of a hardwood desk. So they just walk into their office and place their phone in the right place, and it just charges and has no cables looking ‘messy’ all over.

Now, with a phones that use Micro-USB, the cable eventually has to be replaced because the little springs that hold the cable in the phone get loose over time. So you then buy another cable… and another cable… etc. A Wifi charger solves that issue. But then, so does getting a newer phone that uses USB-C instead as it doesn’t seem to suffer from the failing springs issue.

Even Anker’s Powerline micro-USB cables suffer from that issue over time. I think when they develop a better, long distance wireless charging it will be a better deal. And they ARE working on charging over WiFi as someone else pointed out earlier in another post. It’s been in the works for years. Then your phone would be charging constantly, as long as you were within range of the (6 feet or 10 feet) of the charger.

3 Likes
#18

I look forward to the day when apple releases it’s version of USB-C

#19

I don’t. That would fracture the market even more than already is and create tons of unnecessary e-waste.

Think different = think how we can screw all of our customers out of every penny possible, and who cares about the ramifications to our customers or the environment.

#20

I just hope they use regular old USB-C…